The Intensive Care Unit Clinical Audit System (ICUCAS)
The Intensive Care Unit Clinical Audit System (ICUCAS) is a joint initiative between the HSE and the National office of Clinical Audit (NOCA). This system supports the Irish National ICU Audit (INICUA) which was setup in 2013. Irish National ICU Audit is currently live in 22 adult hospitals, encompassing 26 Critical Care Units. National coverage will be attained with implementation to a further 4 adult hospitals during 2022.NOCA manages and governs the output of the ICU Audit and ongoing enhancements of the ICUCAS with HSE.
Benefits:
- Measures the Quality of Patient care in each Intensive Care Unit, in comparison to an international standard. This allows Clinicians to monitor the care and outcomes in each unit.
- Measuring activity is informing the reconfiguration of critical care services by DOH and HSE.
- Measuring timely access to ICU Care allows clinicians to make improvements locally.
- INICUA provides data to support HIPE coding and Activity Based Funding with HPO.
- Measuring Audit Health Care Associated Infection to ensure safe patient care and allow improvement.
- Audits potential organ donors and organ donation to measure missed opportunities.
- Providing an ICU Bed Information System gives information on ICU beds nationally to streamline the transfer of critically ill patients to an appropriate centre and to measure the demand for ICU beds. This has supported front line services during the COVID pandemic.
Establishing a National ICU database will provide data on the epidemiology of critical illness in Ireland to inform clinicians, government, and planning authorities.
Contact Information:
Corinna Abbott, Senior ICT Project Manager Critical Care ICT Programme - corinna.abbott@hse.ie
